If you’ve ever looked at Ivanka Trump and wondered where that specific brand of steely, polished ambition comes from, you aren't alone. Most people immediately think of her father, the former president. But the real blueprint for the "Ivanka" brand—the fashion, the real estate moves, the unapologetic glamour—was actually her mother. So, who is Ivanka Trump’s mother? Her name was Ivana Trump, and honestly, she was a force of nature long before she ever set foot in New York City.
She wasn't just a "socialite" or a "wife." Ivana was a master of reinvention. She grew up in Soviet-era Czechoslovakia, escaped the Eastern Bloc, and basically helped build the Trump empire alongside Donald in the 1980s. She didn't just sit in the penthouse; she ran the Plaza Hotel. She was the one picking out the signature pink marble for Trump Tower. When people ask about Ivanka’s mother, they are usually surprised to find out she was arguably as much of a "workaholic" as the man she married.
The Woman Behind the Name: Ivana Marie Zelníčková
Ivana was born in 1949 in what was then Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia. Life wasn't easy there. It was a communist regime, gray and restrictive. But Ivana had a way out: skiing.
Her father, Miloš, pushed her into the sport when she was just four years old. By the time she was a teenager, she was on the junior national ski team. This gave her a rare privilege—the ability to travel outside the Iron Curtain. It gave her a taste of the West, and she knew she couldn't stay in Czechoslovakia forever.
To get out, she married an Austrian ski instructor named Alfred Winklmayr in a "Cold War marriage" just to get a foreign passport. It worked. She moved to Canada, started modeling in Montreal, and eventually landed in New York City in 1976. That’s where she met Donald. They were married within a year.
More Than Just a "First Wife"
While the world saw them as a tabloid power couple, Ivana was deeply embedded in the family business. She wasn't just decorative. Donald actually put her in charge of some of his biggest projects.
- Vice President of Interior Design: She oversaw the look of Trump Tower.
- CEO of Trump’s Castle: She moved to Atlantic City to run a casino.
- Manager of the Plaza Hotel: She famously managed one of the most iconic hotels in the world, often putting in grueling hours.
She did all of this while raising three kids: Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. She famously said, "The mother makes the child," and you can see that influence in Ivanka’s own career path. Ivanka often recalls watching her mother lead meetings in male-dominated industries, wearing heels and a power suit, never apologizing for being feminine while being the boss.
The Divorce That Defined an Era
You can't talk about who is Ivanka Trump’s mother without mentioning the 1990 divorce. It was a media circus. The affair between Donald and Marla Maples was front-page news for weeks. It was messy, public, and incredibly hard on the kids. Ivanka was only about nine years old when the world started watching her family fall apart.
But Ivana didn't crumble.
She walked away with a massive settlement—somewhere around $14 million plus a mansion and alimony—and immediately started "Ivana Inc." She launched clothing lines, jewelry, and beauty products on QVC and HSN. She wrote novels that were thinly veiled versions of her own life. She even had a cameo in the movie The First Wives Club, where she delivered the iconic line: "Ladies, you have to be strong and independent. And remember, don't get mad, get everything."
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Honestly, she turned her trauma into a brand. That’s a lesson Ivanka clearly took to heart.
The Relationship Between Ivana and Ivanka
Despite the chaotic divorce, the bond between Ivana and her daughter remained tight. Ivanka actually shares her mother's first name—Ivanka is a Slavic diminutive, like a "little Ivana."
In her book Raising Trump, Ivana talked about how she raised her children with a "no-nonsense" attitude. No drugs, no alcohol, and they had to work for their money. If they wanted a flight upgrade, they had to pay for it themselves. She was the disciplinarian. She was the one who made sure they were grounded even while living in a literal gold-plated penthouse.
In 2024, Ivanka did an interview with Lex Fridman where she got really emotional talking about her mom. She described her as a "trailblazer" and someone who taught her how to "live in the moment." It’s clear that while Donald provided the platform, Ivana provided the blueprint for how to navigate it as a woman.
How Ivana Trump Passed Away
The end of Ivana’s story was sudden. On July 14, 2022, she was found at the bottom of the stairs in her Manhattan townhouse. She was 73. The medical examiner ruled it an accident, citing "blunt impact injuries" from a fall.
It was a shock to the family. They buried her at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Even in death, she remained part of the family’s inner circle; Donald and the children were all there to say goodbye.
Why Ivana’s Legacy Still Matters
Ivana Trump was the original "influencer" before that word existed. She proved that you could be a mother, a CEO, and a celebrity all at once. She navigated a high-profile divorce with her dignity (and her bank account) intact.
If you want to understand Ivanka, you have to understand Ivana. She was the one who taught her daughter that being "unapologetically feminine" wasn't a weakness in business—it was a weapon.
Key Takeaways from Ivana Trump’s Life:
- Reinvention is key: She went from a communist-era athlete to a Manhattan mogul. Never be afraid to start over in a new "territory."
- Work ethic over everything: She didn't rely on her husband's name; she ran his companies and then built her own.
- Parenting with boundaries: Even in extreme wealth, she insisted on discipline and "no-go" zones for her kids.
- Resilience in public: She handled one of the messiest divorces in history by leaning into her own identity rather than hiding.
If you are looking into the history of the Trump family, don't overlook the Czech girl who skied her way to the top of New York society. She wasn't just a part of the story; she was the architect of much of it.